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Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 3rd 08, 02:40 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
flarosa
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?

My car is a 2000 Beetle, 2.0 ltr gas engine.

About a week ago I suddenly got a blinking red temperature light while
driving. I had been driving about 20 minutes at the time. I checked
the coolant and oil, both were normal. The next two days I was fine
driving to work, which is about 10 minutes each way. The next day I
ran a few errands after work and I got the same blinking red light
after driving a little over 20 minutes. This is the light that looks
like a thermometer, not the check engine light - and doesn't turn red
and then start blinking later, it goes from off to blinking red right
away, accompanied by several beeps.

I made an appointment with VW to check it out, but they won't be able
to see me until next Wednesday.

Can anyone guess what this is, and whether it is safe to drive my car
for the next week until someone can fix it?

Thanks,

Frank
Ads
  #2  
Old April 3rd 08, 03:18 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
Nate Nagel[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,686
Default Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?

flarosa wrote:
> My car is a 2000 Beetle, 2.0 ltr gas engine.
>
> About a week ago I suddenly got a blinking red temperature light while
> driving. I had been driving about 20 minutes at the time. I checked
> the coolant and oil, both were normal. The next two days I was fine
> driving to work, which is about 10 minutes each way. The next day I
> ran a few errands after work and I got the same blinking red light
> after driving a little over 20 minutes. This is the light that looks
> like a thermometer, not the check engine light - and doesn't turn red
> and then start blinking later, it goes from off to blinking red right
> away, accompanied by several beeps.
>
> I made an appointment with VW to check it out, but they won't be able
> to see me until next Wednesday.
>
> Can anyone guess what this is, and whether it is safe to drive my car
> for the next week until someone can fix it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Frank


don't drive it. hopefully you haven't already fux0red the engine.

any red warning light generally means "stop right now before things get
really ugly." In this case I assume it means high engine temperature.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
  #3  
Old April 3rd 08, 03:33 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
Ears
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 101
Default Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?

I wouldn't worry unless your car is overheating. Is the temperature
gauge in the normal postion? The cause of your blinking light is
likely an electronic component in your cooling system. You don't need
to stop driving the car unless it's overheating or malfunctioning
mechanically.

  #4  
Old April 3rd 08, 03:45 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
flarosa
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?

I don't know if it's overheating - I don't have a temperature gauge.

I don't have any reason to believe it is overheating. There is plenty
of coolant and oil. What else could cause it to overheat?

On Apr 2, 9:33*pm, Ears > wrote:
> I wouldn't worry unless your car is overheating. *Is the temperature
> gauge in the normal postion? *The cause of your blinking light is
> likely an electronic component in your cooling system. *You don't need
> to stop driving the car unless it's overheating or malfunctioning
> mechanically.


  #5  
Old April 3rd 08, 11:35 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
Ears
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 101
Default Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?

Some signs your car is overheating:

-steam seeping out from under the hood near the radiator or coolant
expansion tank
-A hot smell
-Sound of water boiling after a long drive.

Your blinking light may be caused by (in order of likelihood):

-Coolant temperature sensor
-Thermostat
-Radiator malfuction
-Coolant level too low or too high



  #6  
Old April 4th 08, 01:53 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
Lost In Space/Woodchuck[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 73
Default Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?

take your pick...

1- it's blinking because engine is overheating. If so, you may do more
damage.
2- coolant level is low
3- fans not running see above #1
4- coolant pump impeller cracked and slipping see #1
5- coolant sensor going bad, but then again I never replaced one for falsely
going red.
6- do you have heat in the car? If no good sign of the coolant pump



"flarosa" > wrote in message
...
> My car is a 2000 Beetle, 2.0 ltr gas engine.
>
> About a week ago I suddenly got a blinking red temperature light while
> driving. I had been driving about 20 minutes at the time. I checked
> the coolant and oil, both were normal. The next two days I was fine
> driving to work, which is about 10 minutes each way. The next day I
> ran a few errands after work and I got the same blinking red light
> after driving a little over 20 minutes. This is the light that looks
> like a thermometer, not the check engine light - and doesn't turn red
> and then start blinking later, it goes from off to blinking red right
> away, accompanied by several beeps.
>
> I made an appointment with VW to check it out, but they won't be able
> to see me until next Wednesday.
>
> Can anyone guess what this is, and whether it is safe to drive my car
> for the next week until someone can fix it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Frank



  #7  
Old April 4th 08, 05:30 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
Dioclese
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 106
Default Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?

"flarosa" > wrote in message
...
> My car is a 2000 Beetle, 2.0 ltr gas engine.
>
> About a week ago I suddenly got a blinking red temperature light while
> driving. I had been driving about 20 minutes at the time. I checked
> the coolant and oil, both were normal. The next two days I was fine
> driving to work, which is about 10 minutes each way. The next day I
> ran a few errands after work and I got the same blinking red light
> after driving a little over 20 minutes. This is the light that looks
> like a thermometer, not the check engine light - and doesn't turn red
> and then start blinking later, it goes from off to blinking red right
> away, accompanied by several beeps.
>
> I made an appointment with VW to check it out, but they won't be able
> to see me until next Wednesday.
>
> Can anyone guess what this is, and whether it is safe to drive my car
> for the next week until someone can fix it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Frank


One possibility, I did not see as a response. The facility in the
instrument panel may be intermittently faulty.
--
Dave

How about a tax to support any military conflict/police action over 3 months
old?

An actual war, we can do what's been done in the past.


  #8  
Old April 9th 08, 08:17 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
flarosa
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?

Thanks for all the replies.

Problem turned out to be a broken water pump. Miraculously, it's still
under warranty even though my car is 9 years old - I guess it's part
of the powertrain. Dealer is fixing it for free right now. I guess
that's one good argument for going back to the dealer.

Frank
  #9  
Old April 9th 08, 09:06 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
dave AKA vwdoc1[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,024
Default Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?

You are one of the lucky ones! lol
congrats to you!

"flarosa" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for all the replies.
>
> Problem turned out to be a broken water pump. Miraculously, it's still
> under warranty even though my car is 9 years old - I guess it's part
> of the powertrain. Dealer is fixing it for free right now. I guess
> that's one good argument for going back to the dealer.
>
> Frank



  #10  
Old April 13th 08, 01:19 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
Craig[_7_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 93
Default Blinking red temperature light - what does it mean?

Doesn't anyone EVER read their owners manual???????????????????????????????




"flarosa" > wrote in message
...
> My car is a 2000 Beetle, 2.0 ltr gas engine.
>
> About a week ago I suddenly got a blinking red temperature light while
> driving. I had been driving about 20 minutes at the time. I checked
> the coolant and oil, both were normal. The next two days I was fine
> driving to work, which is about 10 minutes each way. The next day I
> ran a few errands after work and I got the same blinking red light
> after driving a little over 20 minutes. This is the light that looks
> like a thermometer, not the check engine light - and doesn't turn red
> and then start blinking later, it goes from off to blinking red right
> away, accompanied by several beeps.
>
> I made an appointment with VW to check it out, but they won't be able
> to see me until next Wednesday.
>
> Can anyone guess what this is, and whether it is safe to drive my car
> for the next week until someone can fix it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Frank


 




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